Night Whispers/Chapter 25
Chapter description :Ivypaw is seen hunting a shrew in the snow, thanking StarClan before giving it the killing bite. She hears a strange yowl from beyond the lake, leaving Ivypaw wishing she had her sister, Dovepaw's, abilities to know what was going on. She longed to play on the ice with Blossomfall and Rosepetal, but was focused on hunting to make up for the herbs she had lost. :Ivypaw heads back to camp after digging up two previous kills. She drops them on the fresh-kill pile, and Graystripe compliments her on her catches. Ivypaw tells the senior warrior that she had been hunting all day, and almost immediately, Firestar calls the Clan for a Clan meeting. :Firestar spills the news to the Clan about Flametail's misfortune, saying that his body has not been found. He announces that Jayfeather tried to help him, but could not bring him to the surface. Firestar says that any cats caught on the ice will be severely punished. Whitewing makes Ivypaw promise she won't venture onto the ice, and Ivypaw and Dovepaw both tell her that they won't. :Dovepaw tells Ivypaw that she can hear Tigerheart sitting vigil with other ShadowClan cats. She says she can hear the emptiness of where Flametail used to be, and tells Ivypaw that she doens't have to go to the Dark Forest. Ivypaw thinks to herself that she's not sure she has any other choice, due to her longing to help her Clan, and Dovepaw. :Later that night, Dovepaw offers to sleep with Ivypaw in her nest. Ivypaw politely declines, saying she has been to the Dark Forest plenty of times, and will be okay. She quietly falls asleep, and is greeted by Tigerstar, asking if she had seen Tigerheart. She tells the dark leader that he was sitting vigil for Flametail, and Tigerstar only says that it's just one less to worry about. :Tigerstar tells the apprentice that they'll get to training later, but would like to first get to know each other a little better. He leads Ivypaw away deeper into the forest. The more Tigerstar leads her, the more cats Ivypaw realizes really are here. Tigerstar tells her that there are enough cats here to match StarClan's ranks. He tells her to sit with her friends, as he makes an announcement. Ivypaw pads over to the familiar faces of Hollowpaw, Antpelt, and Breezepelt. :Tigerstar begins his announcement, saying that the time is close. Ivypaw looks over at Antpelt, and is horrified at his shining eyes. Cats begin to yowl phrases like "we'll kill them all!", and "the days of the Clans are over!". Ivypaw sees Darkstripe padding towards her, and unsheathes her claws. Darkstripe asks her if she's ready for the battle of her life, or if she wants to leave. Ivypaw tells him of course she doesn't want to leave, and is praised by the dark warrior. :Brokenstar heads towards Ivypaw, telling her that he is impressed by her training, and tells her that he has a special mission for her. He instructs her to follow him. As the pair walk, Darkstripe follows, and is aggressively told to go away by Brokenstar. The leader says that he is no better than a whining kit, then tells Ivypaw to show him her climbing skills. Ivypaw obeys, and quickly climbs, then comes back down. Brokenstar then instructs her to show him her attack lunge. Once completed, Brokenstar compliments her swiftness. :Brokenstar then says he has one final task for Ivypaw. Brokenstar instructs for a cat to come out of the bushes, and Ivypaw is shocked to see Flametail. She astonishingly asks how he got here, and he tells her he was in StarClan but followed a moving figure until he got here. Brokenstar then instructs Ivypaw to kill him. :Ivypaw panics, not knowing if Brokenstar truly meant it. She tells him that she can't, because Flametail is already dead. Brokenstar is amused by her innocence, and explains that no cat stays in StarClan forever, and will fade one day unless killed first. Ivypaw protests, saying that StarClan is where cats go for the rest of all the moons. She tells Brokenstar she will not kill him, and Brokenstar asks if she's truly a Dark Forest warrior or not. He snarls, saying he doesn't know why Hawkfrost chose her, and that her loyalties will always be with her Clanmates. :Ivypaw tells Brokenstar that she thought he wanted dangerous cats, and Brokenstar retorts saying that he knows what her sister is. Ivypaw says that if she knows her so well, why was she chosen, if she's not part of the prophecy. Ivypaw is conflicted, knowing that if she died there, there would be no cat to warn the Clans. She makes the decision to kill Flametail, but before she does, Tigerheart pins her down. :Tigerstar emerges from the forest, telling Brokenstar there is no need to kill the dead medicine cat. Brokenstar says he means nothing, but asks about Ivypaw. Tigerstar says they need all the warriors they can get, and believes that Ivypaw is loyal to the Place of No Stars, and will remain loyal when the final battle comes. Characters Major }} Minor *Graystripe *Foxleap *Poppyfrost *Squirrelflight *Whitewing *Firestar *Flametail *Mapleshade *Tigerheart *Tigerstar *Darkstripe *Brokenstar }} Mentioned *Rosepetal *Jayfeather *Leafpool *Thornclaw *Dustpelt *Daisy *Berrynose *Toadstep *Icecloud *Brambleclaw *Hawkfrost *Thistleclaw *Shredtail *Snowtuft *Hollowpaw *Antpelt *Breezepelt }} Notes and references Category:Omen of the Stars arc Category:Chapter subpages Category:Night Whispers